Young survivor of a Taliban shooting and educational rights activist Malala Yousafzai, in her speech to the United Nations, discusses how and why she is battling for her rights, including her experience with the Taliban. Malala’s purpose is to justify her beliefs and actions. Malala adopts a strong and determined tone in order to encourage her audience to fight for their rights. Malala begins her speech by utilizing various subtle literary strategies to begin to explain and emphasize the importance behind her ideas. Immediately in her speech, Malala directly refers to God when she says “Thank you to God, for whom we are all equal…” (7). Malala alludes to this well-known religious figure not only to thank those who prayed for her recovery, but …show more content…
Malala understates the situation she was put into when she was shot in the head by the Taliban when she says, “I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban… I want education for the sons and daughters of all extremists especially the Taliban,” (33-36). The fact that she wants to educate the extremists who are against her astonishes her listeners. She does this in order to support her argument that everyone should receive an education. Secondly, Malala explains what she would do if confronted with the person who shot her. She explains, “I do not hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him,” (37-38). Her ideas call into question what the listener would find ethical in Malala’s situation. It is likely that many would have an urge to want a person who nearly cost them their life to be punished severely. But not Malala. She believes so strongly in the power of education that she wants to educate the person who fought against her to teach them why they were wrong. She believes that those fighting against her are also the ones who need what she is fighting for. Later, Malala speaks of some of the most well known activists and influential figures in history, explaining what she has learned from their work. She explains,